Mikel Arteta has transformed Arsenal and brought them tantalizingly close to the top—but coming close is no longer enough. The growing frustration stems not from outright failure, but from repeated near-misses. Despite a clear style and strong team identity, the club has yet to add a major trophy since 2020.
00:00Now, there's no denying that Mikel Arteta has transformed Arsenal and brought them tantalisingly close to the top.
00:12But coming close is no longer enough. The growing frustration stems not from outright failure, but from repeated near misses.
00:20Despite a clear style and strong team identity, the club has yet to add a major trophy since 2020.
00:27As rival clubs continue to collect silverware and expectations rise season after season, Arsenal supporters are left wondering how much longer they'll have to wait.
00:36This summer could be a defining moment, not just in the transfer market, but in deciding whether Arsenal's vision is still commanding full force.
00:46We spoke to Jack Abella of London World to get a sense of the mood around Arsenal, where the ongoing wait for silverware under Arteta is testing the patience.
00:55Of the fans and how important this summer could prove to be.
00:59And, you know, we've obviously mentioned the striker situation, the number nine, the lack of goals.
01:09Who'd they go for in the summer? Who, you know, is that still the solution to this?
01:14And obviously, if they are to get a world-class number nine in an ideal world, does Arteta then run out of excuses if they aren't delivering?
01:23If he does find a, you know, 15, 20 goal a season in the Premier League striker, they've got to go all the way, you feel?
01:30Yeah, absolutely. I mean, we mentioned, you know, briefly earlier January, and I think a lot of Arsenal fans were upset that Arsenal didn't go and sign a striker there.
01:40I think, you know, what's becoming maybe increasingly clear is, you know, at that time, Arsenal didn't have a permanent sporting director.
01:46Jason Ato was in on a temporary basis after Edu left.
01:50And I think while signing a striker would have helped push for maybe the Champions League in the Premier League at that point,
01:57maybe the right thing to do was to wait for the sporting director to come in and go again this season.
02:02You know, Arsenal fans won't be happy with that.
02:04But now, Andrea Berta is in. He's an experienced sporting director from Atletico Madrid.
02:10And I think, you know, by all accounts, it looks like he's ready to come in and make a real statement and back Arteta.
02:18Who do we want? Well, look, Arteta loves Alexander Isak.
02:22That's been widely reported. That's going to be a pretty impossible get, I'd imagine, especially if Newcastle get Champions League.
02:29You know, if Newcastle beat Arsenal at the Emirates on at the weekend, then, you know, they will look favourites to go second place as well.
02:38So whether Isak would even want to leave is another question altogether.
02:43It looks as if Victor Jocherez is the number one target.
02:48It's Andrea Berta's made it very clear that he's a big fan of the Sporting Lisbon striker who, you know, scored 95 goals in 100 games for Sporting Lisbon.
02:59Obviously, you know, that league is slightly different to the Premier League.
03:01We know it's not as strong, but, you know, those numbers still, you can't turn your nose up at that.
03:06So if Arsenal go out and get a Jocherez or a Benjamin Sesko, I think, especially if Arsenal get Jocherez, who's, you know, looks to be a proven goal scorer,
03:17I think it will be played as the final piece of the puzzle for Arteta.
03:24And, yeah, without, with a big centre forward, it does, yeah, it seems like you say that will be the final piece of the puzzle and the pressure will be on Arteta to deliver.
03:36Now, whether or not Jocherez is Arteta's dream signing is another conversation.
03:40But, yeah, I think you're right.
03:42That's also, you know, you have to bear in mind, we have to try and keep all the players this window as well.
03:46I think if Arsenal maintain their squad, I can't really see anyone leaving, but Real Madrid have looked at William Saliba.
03:52If that was to happen, then suddenly you've got another situation that you need to fix at the back.
03:56And, you know, if Arsenal can keep hold of this current squad and sign a top striker in Europe, then, yeah, I mean, they need another winger as well.
04:05But, yeah, they've got a really good chance and then pressure really will start to mount on Arteta around Arsenal to get a big trophy over the line.
04:14I don't think that's a strong sense within the Arsenal fan base, to be honest, but that narrative will grow.
04:21And, you know, football, we're at an elite level with Arsenal and, you know, those questions should be asked at some point.
04:28So it will be interesting to see how it develops for sure.
04:32But, yeah, as you say, if Arsenal had the form they had last season, yeah, they'd definitely be with a shout.
04:38But I think that mental and physical fatigue has just caught up within this campaign.
